Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- February 20, 2014
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
When we signed up to be a Christian, we signed away our old way of life. We became counter cultural in our character. We no longer tolerate sin in our actions, because we have a new life in Christ. Once saved, we were set apart for the will of Almighty God. We are separated from society’s acceptance of deviant behavior. We are in the process of being purified by the Holy Spirit for our Savior’s purposes. Like a compliant child, we want to obey our heavenly Father.
Yes, we have God given urges: to sleep, eat, drink, and have sex. However, these desires can be a blessing or a curse. It depends on our willingness to follow the Lord’s plan for these perfectly legitimate instinctive actions. Lazy behavior can be the fruit of too much sleep, gluttony feeds unbridled eating, shameful drunkenness comes from excessive drinking and immorality is the outcome of sexual behavior between a man and woman outside of marriage. God’s will is for our urges to be under the control of His Spirit. Sexual purity frees us from an obsessive appetite.
“The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body” (1 Corinthians 6:13).
A flippant treatment of the body is unfaithfulness to the Lord. Sexual purity honors the Lord, sexual impurity dishonors the Lord. Sexual purity provides security, sexual impurity creates insecurity. Sexual purity protects from disease, sexual impurity invites illness. Sexual purity is free from regrets, sexual impurity wrestles with guilt. Sexual purity builds marriages, sexual impurity tears down marriages. God’s will is to live pure and free under the Spirit’s control.
Therefore, present your body on the altar of God’s holiness. Be purified by His Spirit and set apart for obedience to His commands. Your relationship with your body reflects your relationship with God. Thus, love and nourish yourself physically, as you love and nourish yourself spiritually. Your Creator created your beautiful body for Himself. Your sanctified self makes God smile. Save yourself for physical intimacy in marriage and you will grow in intimacy with Jesus.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I present my body to be purified on the altar of Your holiness.
Related Readings: 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; Romans 6:19; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 3:17
Post/Tweet today: Our relationship with our body reflects our relationship with God. #wisdomhunters
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Love those Dogwoods!!!! And trees on 70 that usually bloom first
Love those Dogwoods!!!! And trees on 70 that usually bloom first
Amen!
Amen!
This is one of those comments that is really more of a question. I am married and have been for 12 years. How can I be pure sexually when my wife is intimate with me perhaps at most once or twice a year? I am torn, I can’t divorce my wife and impurity is also wrong. How can God help me to remain pure when I so desperately want to have a healthy marriage full of love and sex and yet my current marriage is not that. I can’t divorce and the current marriage is faulty. I know it is hard for singles too to remain pure until marriage, but at least they have hope of finding the right spouse and through much patience having a fulfilling sexual experience. I am bound to my wife with very low likelihood of a god honoring sexual experience within my marriage. Every day I cry over this matter..Sigh. This is a tough issue!
Thank you Patty! Isn’t it nice to see those dogwoods this time of year when we are all alittle tired of winter? So glad you enjoyed it!
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
Thank you so much!
Dear Matthew~ Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us at Wisdom Hunters after reading the devotional, “God’s Will:Purity”. Please let me start off by saying~ I am not a licensed counselor, so I would do you a disservice to give you specific advice on your marriage.
With that being said, the Ultimate Marriage Counselor, our Heavenly Father, is there for you and your wife and His Word is filled with AMAZING advice on His idea of marriage. He wants only the best for you and your wife.
Matthew, I am encouraged by your love for your wife and how you are honoring this God-given gift of marriage. I pray that your marriage will heal and be the marriage God wants for you two.
I would suggest you all seek professional counseling from a therapist through your church or outside the church WHO IS A BELIEVER. Please pray about a seeking the right therapist.
Please know that I will be praying for you and your wife in the days to come.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
Dear Matthew~ I was reading the Wisdom Hunter devotional for Feb 22nd “Love Always Preserveres”, and was reminded of your earlier comments on our blog. Please check the Wisdom Hunters website for the Feb 22nd devotional. Again, thank you for being a fellow wisdom hunter.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne